Window



J. SZABO Feb. 14, 1961 WINDOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1957 INVENTOR: 2097974 dows and more recently awning windows. kinds of windows have disadvantages, which make the United rates Patent G WINDOW Joseph Szabo, Alpha, NJ. (118 N. Bank St., Easton, Pa.)

Filed Nov. 15, 1957, Ser. No. 696,702

6 Claims. (Cl. 20-52.1)

, The windows of the buildings commonly used at the present arethe French type windows, double-hung win- All of these use and hanndling of them inconvenient. Such disadvantages are, for example, in' the case of the French type window the necessity of opening of the casements inwardly or outwardly to make possible the airing, or cleaning, thereby taking up space on the inside or the outside of the house; in the case of,double hung windows the inconvenience stems from the necessity of pushing and pulling of the half frames up and down; and they have the further disadvantage of providing ventilation through only one-half of the window space; in wartime these windows are very susceptible to the danger of breaking during an air raid by means of the air pressure waves,

or suck effect caused by the explosion of bombs, and most of the window glasses and frames in the vicinity of the explosion will break. The practice of opening the .window during air raids does not give perfect protection,

because the direction of aforesaid pressure waves are rarely parallel to the planes of the windows. During gas attacks it was not possible to close windows of rooms of houses gasproofly.

Besides the above-mentioned types of known windows, there is still another kind of window, namely, the wall pocket type of window, to the improvement of which this invention more particularly relates.

Wall pocket windows are opened by retracting them into a shallow depthwise space prepared in the wall on one or both sides of the window opening.

Wall pocket windows of the prior art are difficult to clean and they are not weathertight. The frame structures of such windows are custom'made rather than of standardized construction. The lack of a satisfactory "wall pocket window which can be standardized has resulted in only limited use of this type of window.

Consequently, an object of the present invention is to provide a wall pocket window which is weather tight and will give maximum protection against poisonous gases during wartime.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wall pocket window which may be standardized and sold as a package.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a smoothly operating wall pocket window which can be positively locked and sealed in closed position and also locked in. open position.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wall pocket window kit which may be installed quickly with the use of simple tools by workmen of ordinary building trade skill.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of the wall pocket window .of the inside and outside walls of the building.

of the present invention when viewed from inside-of the "house, the concealed portions of the window frame within the walls of the house being shown in dotted lines; Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a schematic, elevational View showing the relative proportions of the window opening and the relative recess space for the wall pocket window unit of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the recess wall frame for the wall pocket window of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a vertical. cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary front elevation of the upper member of the wall frame shown in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper .member shown in Figure 9;

. Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a front elevation of one of the window sashes for the wall pocket window of the present invention;

Figure 13 is a bottom view of the sash shown in Figure 1.2;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary side elevation of the righthand vertical sash frame member shown in Figure 12;

Figure 15 is-a fragmentary side elevation of the lower corner of the member shown in Figure 14;

Figure 16 is a front elevation of the locking mechanism of the wall pocket window of the present invention;

Figure 17 is a side elevation of the locking mechanism shown in Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a bottom view of the locking mechanism shown in Figure 16;

Figure 19 is a front elevation of the lockactuating 'mechanism recessed parts of the structure being shown in dotted lines.

Adverting now to the figures, and particularly to Figures 1, 4, 5, 6, there is shown a window opening 1 of a building having recesses or pockets 2, 2 provided in the wall.5 of the building at either side of said window opening, and the shallow channels 3, 3 above and below the window opening. The recesses 2, 2 lie intermediate In the case of a building having a wall of very small depth so that a recess of less than 4 or 5 inches in transverse crosssection cannot be obtained, either the inside or the outside portion of the wall of the building coextensive with the recesses 2, 2 and channels 3, 3 may he stepped out from the remainder of the building wall.

In Figure 7, there is shown at F a prefabricated wall pockettwindow frame unit having the horizontal bridging channels 6 and 7 forming the top and bottom members, respectively, of the unit, which extend across the window opening when theunit has been put in place and join together the recessed frame portions R to L through the means of the four connectors 8. The recessed frame portions are similar except that they are reversed, since they are to be installed in the recesses 2, 2 at'opposite sides of the window opening 1. The recessed frame portions each have the horizontal top and bottom members 11, 11, a vertical end plate 10 and a pair of vertical transversely spaced apart T-pieces 12. The connectors 8 are fastened to the horizontal channels 6 and '7 and the horizontal top and bottom members 11 which adjoin their :fastened, as by weldingto the end plates and the pair of T-pieces 12 to form the recessed frame portion. The top and bottom horizontal bridging channels'6 and 7 are alsotrifurcated to provide three channels similar to those of the members 11, and together they provide three horizontal tracks.

The wall pocket frame unit F is installed in the prepared recesses and channels about a window opening of a building by first demounting the bridging chanels 6 and 7 and installing the recessed frame portions R and L in their respective recesses 2, 2 in the wall. The bridging channels 6 and 7 are then put in place and fastened by connectors 8, after strips of insulation board 13, as seen in Figures 2 and 3, of the thickness necessary to fill the space between the unit and its recesses and channels, are

forced in place.

The extruded U-shaped gaskets made of resilient material, such as rubber and the like 14, are installed on the inner and outer flanges of the bridging channels 6 and 7 and the outwardly extending arms of the T-pieces which surround the window opening.

Ornamental interior and exterior finishing panels 15 are attached to the frame unit by means of screws or bolts 55. In the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, the panel 15 is folded in cross-section and the screws 55 are insorted through holes in the outer fold, the holes being later closed by plugs 16.

Two pair of sashes S and S' which may both be glazed or one pair may be glazed and the other screened, are mounted in the innermost and outermost respectively of the tracks of the aligned trifurcated channel members 6, 7 and 11, each pair together forming a closure for the window opening.

The sashes S and S are each made of the four frame members 17 fastened together at their corners by any spaced relation on the top and bottom edges of each of the sashes S and S to center the sashes in their respective tracks. Each of the centering devices 20 have a bracket 21 which is pivotally mounted at its center on the sash frame member 17 by means of the bolt 22. The bracket 21 has a length greater than the width of the tracks 6a, 60 and 7a, 70. A spirally wound spring 57 biases the bracket 21 to a position transversely of the frame member 17. A roller 21a is mounted on each end of the bracket 21.

When the pairs of sashes S and S" are mounted in the tracks 6a and 7a, 60 and 70, respectively, their brackets 21 are turned longitudinally of the frame 17 on the pivot bolts 22 by means of an operator 23, so that the rollers 21a will enter the tracks. The bias of the spring 57 will then center the sashes transversely of the tracks.

The top bridging channel 6 is provided with slots 24 one in each of the tracks 6a and 60 to overlie each of the pairs of sashes when the sashes are in window-closed position. The briding channel t-rack 7b is also slotted as at 24a, shown in Figure 19. A headed screw 25 'is mounted at the center of each slot, as shown in Figure 10. The slots 24 are of less width than the tracks and are spaced on the inner side of the track, as shown. The

slots 24 are wider than the thickness of the frame members 17 by the height of the screw head 25. The operators 23 comprise a pair of spaced flanges 23a, mounted on a slldable bracket 23b seated in a retainer groove.

One of the flanges 23a is provided with a hole 26 to i receive the head of the bolt 25. When the sashes are installed, the operator 23 is first moved to engage the rollers 21a and turn the bracket 21 until the rollers lie wholly within the planes of the sides of the top and bottom members 17. The top of the sash is then inserted in the slot 24 of the track 60 or 60 as the case may be, an amount sufficient for the brackets 19 and 21 to clear the side of the corresponding track 7a or 70. The window is then lowered to seat the ball bearings on the track. The sash is then centered so that the hole 26 will be in alignment with the bolt head 25. The sash is then urged toward the bolt head to seat it in the hole 26. The sash is then moved longitudinally in its tracks to move the operator flanges 23a away from engagement with the rollers 21a. The top and bottom operators 23 are operated simultaneously and the sash is then mounted within the frame unit. To release the sashes from the frame units, the procedure is reversed. f

i The sashes S and S are provided with weather strips 27 suitably fastened as by screws, to their meeting'edges at the center of the window and cooperating bolt parts 29 and 30 are provided on the meeting frames 17 to bolt a pair of the sashes together.

An expandable sash sealer unit E is shown in Figures 16, 17 and 18. The sealer E has four frame members 31,.31, 54 and 54. A pair of presser frames 35, 35 which are rectangular in shape and of a size to surround a pair of the sashes S when the sashes are in closed or abutting relation, are mounted on said frame members. The presser frames 35 are made of angle irons and have one flange to engage the outer frames 17 of a pair of the sashes. One of the presser frames 35 engages the frames 17 of the pair of. sashes S in tracks 6a, 7a, and the other presser frame engages the frames :17 of the pair of sashes S in tracks 60, 7c.

The presser frames 35 are mounted on four actuator plates 36 at the top, bottom and two ends of the frame by means of a plurality of toggle bars 37. One end of each toggle bar 37 is pivotally connected to one of the plates 36, and the other end of alternate toggle bars is pivotally connected to one of the presser frames 35 or the other, such that when the toggle bars 37 are at sub stantially a right angle to the presser frames. 35 the presser frames 35 will simultaneously urge the sashes S and S against its respective gasket 14, and when the toggle bars 37 are at less than a right angle to the presser frames 35, the latter will be retracted from the sashes S and S. The connection of the presser frames 35 to the actuator plates is similar on the four sides of the sealer E. The sealer E is mounted in the wall pocket frame unit E by means of the bolts 33 which pass through the frames 31, the slots 33a in the actuator plates 36, and spacers 34 which are seated in the channels 6b, 7b, and are fastened therein. Four small plates 39 welded transversely of the frames 31 provide a bearing for the presser frames 35.

A stud 41 is mounted at each end of the plates 36, and a wire rope 40 is fastened to each stud 41 by a clamp 42 to link together the end of one plate 36 with the next plate 36 on an adjacent side of the sealer unit B, so that all four of the plates 36 are connected and will move together. Pulleys 43 mounted on brackets 44 at each corner of the sealer unit E, receive the wire rope 40 for 'the direction change. By providing an actuator 47 outstanding from the bottom plate 36 all of the plates 36 may be moved when the actuator'47 is moved. By moving the actuator 47 in one direction, the presser frames 35 will move against the sashes S and S and force them into sealed position against the gaskets 14, and when the actuator is moved in the other direction, the presser frames will be retracted.

The actuator 47 may be conveniently moved to force the presser plates 35 into sealing position by a handwheel 50 mounted on a shaft 49, which is journaled in a bracket 48 mounted on the bridging channel member 7, the shaft 49 passing through a slot 4 in the wall 5. An arm 52 fixedly mounted on the shaft 49 carries at its outer end a roller 51. By clockwise turning of the handwheel 50, the actuator 47 is cammed in a counterclockwise direction to move the presser plates 35 to scaling relation with the sashes. A spring 45 connected between a stud 46 mounted on one of the plates 36 and the spacer 34, as shown in Figure 16, will bias the plates 36 to retract the presser plates 35 when the hand wheel 50 is turned in a counterclockwise direction.

While there has been disclosed in the foregoing description a practical embodiment of the wall pocket window unit in accordance with the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations in the implementation of the concept of the invention are within the purview and scope of the invention.

I am aware that prior to my invention wallpocket windows have been made with immuring of the wallframe, which was so arranged, that the windowframes are hung with their rollers on angles and channels and moving so in the window opening and wallpockets. I therefore do not claim such a combination broadly, but I claim:

1. A wall pocket window frame unit for installation in a building wall prepared with recesses extending into the building wall from each side of a window opening to receive the unit comprising, a pair of rectangular frame portions, each of said frame portions having top and bottom frame members having a pair of spaced tracks on their confronting surfaces and a pair of opposed upright pieces attached to said top and bottom frame members outwardly from said tracks to lie at the inner and outer edges of the side of said window opening, a pair of bridging members spanning the top and bottom of said window opening respectively and having tracks on their inner confronting surfaces longitudinally aligned with said first-mentioned tracks, a pair of gasket surrounds, one gasket surround mounted about the inner edges of said window opening and fastened to said bridging channels and said upright pieces, the other of said gasket surrounds being mounted about the outer edges of said window opening and fastened to said bridging channels and said upright pieces, a pair of sashes mounted in each of said tracks, a pair of brackets on the bottom edge of each of said sashes and a ball bearing mounted in each bracket, a sash sealer having a rectangular mounting frame fastened intermediate said track, a pair of rectangular presser frames coinciding with the perimetrical edge of a pair of said sashes, an actuator plate mounted for sliding movement on each outer face of said rectangular mounting frame, a plurality of toggle bars, each toggle bar pivotally connected to said presser frame and said actuator plate, each actuator plate con nected to adjacent actuator plates, means for imparting movement to one of said actuator plates to move all of said actuator plates, said toggle bars moving to a position at right angles to said actuator plate when said actuator plates are moved in one direction and thereby urging said presser frame against said sashes and forcing said sashes in sealing contact with said gaskets, and said toggle bars moving to a position at less than a right angle to said actuator plate when said actuator plate is moved in the opposite direction and thereby move said presser frame away from said sashes.

2. In a wall pocket window frame unit for installation in a building wall prepared with recesses on each side of a Window opening to receive the unit as claimed in claim 1, said tracks having upstanding side walls, said sashes having a pair of centering brackets pivotally attached to the top edge of said sash and a pair of centering brackets pivotally mounted on the bottom edge of said sashes, each of said brackets having a pair of vertically mounted rollers on each end of said bracket, said bracket being wider than the distance between the side walls of said track when it is rotated to a position at right angles to said sash, said bracket being rotatable to a position parallel with said sash, and means biasing said bracket toward a position at right angles to said track.

3. In a wall pocket window frame unit for installation in a building wall prepared with recesses on each side of a window opening to receive the unit as claimed in claim 2, a longitudinally extending slot in. each of said tracks, a headed bolt outstanding from said side wall of said track intermediate the length of said slot, slidable means for holding said centering bracket in a position parallel with said sash, said holding means depending from said sash and having an aperture to receive said head of said bolt, and said holding means being slidable away from said centering means to release said center ing means.

4. A sealer unit to move a closure for an opening in a wall into sealing relation with a gasket surrounding said opening comprising, a mounting frame fastened to said wall and extending around the perimeter of said opening, a presser frame extending about the perimeter of said closure, a plurality of actuator plates slidably fastened on said mounting frame, a plurality of toggle bars, each toggle bar having one end pivotally attached to each said actuator plate and the other end pivotally attached to said pressure frame, means connecting each of said actuator plate with each adjacent actuator plate, means to impart movement to one of said actuator plates to move all of said actuator plates, said toggle bars moving to a position at right angles to said actuator plates when said actuator plates are moved in one direction and thereby urging said presser frame against said closure to force it into sealing relation with said gasket, and said toggle bars moving to a position at less than a right angle to said actuator plate when said actuator plate is moved in the opposite direction. and thereby move said presser frame away from said closure.

5. In a wall pocket window frame unit for installation at a window opening of a building, the improvement comprising, in combination, a frame mountable within said window opening and framing the periphery of said window opening, said frame having channel members adjacent a pair of opposite sides of said window opening, spaced apart inner and outer tracks in said channel members, a slidable outer sash member mounted in said outer track, a slidable inner sash member mounted in said inner track, each of said sash members being a closure for said window opening and having inner and outer edges, continuous gasket surrounds mounted about said frame for said window opening adjacent said inner and outer sash members, sealer means mounted intermediate of said sash members, said sealer means registering with the inner edges of each of said spaced apart sash members and being extendable to simultaneously engage said inner and outer sash members and move said sash members transversely of their tracks so that the outer edges of each of said sash members are in sealing relation with said gasket surrounds.

6. In a wall pocket window frame unit is claimed in claim 5, said channel members being at. the top and bottom of said window opening and said inboard and outboard sash members having ball casters mounted thereon to run in said inboard and outboard tracks, respectively, in said channel member at the bottom of said Window opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,855,806 Marschke Apr. 26, 1932 2,032,170 Fisk Feb. 25, 1936 2,574,736 Gerow Nov. 13, 1951 2,862,262 Shea Dec. 2, 1958 

